Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 738,431. PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903 Y C. GOODYEAR.

AGETYLBNE GAS GENERATOR.

APPLICATION IfLED JUNE 24,1901. N0 MODEL.

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-bell 22.

UNITED. STATES Patented September 8, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES GOODYEAR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO J. B. COLT OOMPANY, A oOR ORATION on NEW YORK.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,431, dated September 8, 1903.

Application filed June 24, 1901. -Serial No. 65,856. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GnARLEs GOODYEAR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Generators, of which the following is a specification, accompanied by a drawmg.

The object of the invention is to improve and render more even and reliable the operation of generators for acetylene and other gases of the type in which the gas is generated by feeding a solid gas-making substance into Water or other liquid. Irregularity in the action of such a generator when the carbid holder or hopper is carried upon the rising and falling gas-holder bell may arise from the diminishing weight of carbid or solid substance carried by the bell and may also arise, particularly in the case of acetylene-generators, from the formation of floating masses of lime, which obstruct the dropping of the carbid into the water. These defects the present invention overcomes by providing means for compensating any decreasing weight of carbid and means for agitating the "surface of the water Where the carbid drops into it in a way to prevent the formation of floating obstructions.

In the accompanying drawing the figure is a central vertical section of one form of acetylene-generator embodying the present improvements.

The rising and falling members and,indeed, all the parts are shown somewhat diagrammatically, because the invention does not con i cern details of design.

The carbid-hopper is mounted upon a neck 21 on the rising and falling gasometer- The water-holding vessel 23, provided with a water seal2d for the bell, which may or may not be separate from the generating-space, is preferably provided with a raised plate or table 26, standing on legs 27 in position to be engaged by the rod 28 of the carbid-feeding valve 29. According to this construction it will be seen'that the means for feeding carbid are controlled by the gas.

The details of the carbid-feeding mechanism are not essential to the invention.v The rise and fall of the bell 22 causes the rod pressure on the gas is proportionately reduced, f

and to compensate for this I provide a means for maintaining the pressure constant. This means in the form illustrated consists of an air-tight water-holding vessel 30, connected by a chain 31 and pulleys to act as a counterweight to the bell. Depending from the water-holding vessel is a flexible connection 32, having a downwardly-directed mouth 33, which dips into the water that seals the bell. The mouth 33 may dip into a lateral extension of the vessel 24, which communicates freely with the water within through an opening 133. So long as no bubbles of air can rise through the connection 32 the water contained in the vessel is prevented by atmospheric pressure from discharging through the connection 33. As soon, however, as the diminishing Weight of carbid on the bellreduces the gas-pressure slightly and allows the depth of water surrounding the bell to diminish correspondingly the mouth 83 of the connection 32 is exposed and air-bubbles pass up through connection 32, displacing an equal amount of water and lightening the vessel 30. The lightening of the vessel 30 increases the pressure by increasing the weight that rests upon the gas in the generator, and this compensating action continues until normal pressure is established and the mouth 33 of the connection 32 is again watersealed.

The agitating device for the water in the generator may preferably consist of a pivoted grid or sieve 40, mounted on a bracket 4.1 in the vessel 23 and provided with an upwardextending rod 42 in position to be engaged by the bell during the descent of the bell. When the bell strikes the rod 42,'it raises the grid or sieve 40 above the water-level in the vessel, thereby breaking and agitating the surface of the water. When the bell descends a little farther and drops carbid into the water, the sudden evolution of gas raises the bell quickly and allows the grid or sieve 40 to drop in its normal position by gravity, again breaking and agitating the surface of the liquid independently of the carbid dropped into the water. In this way the formation of compact floating masses sufficient to obstruct the feeding of the carbid into the water is prevented.

The gas-educting pipe 45, drain-pipe 46, drain-trap 4:7, and overflow 48 may be of any desired type Without alfecting the principle of the invention. So, also, may be the flushout and the overflow, though I have shown the flush-out and overflow combined, as at 49. For refilling the water-holding vessel 30 and for shutting ofl the connection 32 when desired funnel 51, valve 52, and valve 53 may be provided.

1 "Having now described myinventiom what I claim,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, are the following characteristic features:

1. In combination with a rising and falling gas-holding bell and a holder for carbid or the like carried thereby, of means controlled by the gas produced for compensating for the loss of Weight of the carbid, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a rising and falling gas-holding bell and a holder for carbid or the like carried thereby, of a water-holding vessel connected to counterweight the carbid-holder and means controlled by the pressure of gas for admitting air to displace the water and lighten the said vessel as the weight of carbid decreases, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the water-holding vessel of a gas-generator and with means controlled by the gas for feeding carbid or solid into the water to generate gas, of a mechanical device for agitating the surface of the water independently of the carbid dropped into the water and means for actuating said device by power derived from the gas generated, substantially as setforth.

4:. The combination with the Water-holding vessel of a gas-generator, the rising and falling gas-bell, and means for feeding finelydivided carbid or other granular solid into the water to generate gas, of means for agitating the surface of the Water, comprising a mechanical agitator and means connected to alternately raise it above the normal Waterlevel as the gas-bell descends and depress it beneath the said level of the water as the gasbell rises, substantially as set forth.

5 In combination .with the Water-holding vessel and an expansible member of a gasgenerator and with means controlled by the gas for feeding finely-divided carbid or solid into the Water to generate gas,.of a mechanical device for breaking up floating accumulations on the surface of the Waterindependently of the carbid dropped into the water and connections therefrom for actuating the same by the movements of the expansible member, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with the water-holding vessel of a gas-generator, a rising and falling gas-bell, and means for feeding carbid or solid into the Water to generate gas, of means for agitating the surface of the water connected to be moved in an opposite direction to the movement of said bell, whereby the formation of floating obstructions may be avoided, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with the water-holding vessel of a gas-generator, a rising and falling gas-bell, and means for feeding carbid or solid into the Water to generate gas, of a mechanical device for agitating the surface of the Water connected to be actuated in directions opposite to the movement of the gas bell by power derived from the gas generated, substantially as set forth.

Signed this 21st day of June, 1901, at New York, N. Y.

CHARLES GOODYEAR.

Witnessses:

S. Gr. SKIDMORE, W. H. TURNER. 

